Talking Points: Depth Shines For Bruins In 5-2 Win Over Flyers

The Boston Bruins earned their third straight win with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday.

Derek Forbort lit the lamp twice; David Pastrnak and Craig Smith had a goal and an assist, and Tomáš Nosek scored for the Bruins. Linus Ullmark held the fort down with 29 saves on 31 shots.

Derick Brassard scored twice for the Flyers and Claude Giroux had two assists. Flyers goalie Martin Jones did his best to keep his team in it with 39 saves on 44 shots.

GOLD STAR: Derek Forbort – Since entering the NHL in the 2015-16 NHL regular season, after being drafted 15th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Derek Forbort had never eclipsed two goals in a season. On Saturday, he equaled that benchmark and extended his career-high in goals to four with two lamplighters against the Flyers. He scored the game-winner at 16:27 of the second period and now has half as many goals with the Bruins (4) as he has scored in his NHL career.

snipe city population DEREK FORBORT???? pic.twitter.com/JcHh69aRjV

— Marina Maher (@marinakmaher) November 21, 2021

BLACK EYE: Officiating – By no means is yours truly an expert on officiating but through 20 years of covering the NHL, I’ve learned that when there’s a major scrum along the boards or dust-up in front of the net, there’s usually never a penalty called. In the rare circumstance that there is, the refs even it up. So why, when there was a crowd of players going at it behind the Bruins net 8:30 into the second period, were the officials able to pinpoint the shortest guy in the scrum at 5-foot-9, Brad Marchand, as the lone culprit in the madness? The ensuing powerplay resulted in Brassard’s powerplay goal at 9:25 of the middle frame, which tied the game at two.

As if that wasn’t suspect enough, Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron was called for a less than borderline hooking call 18 seconds after Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom went off for the same infraction 4:29 into the final frame. I’m sorry but didn’t Tim Peel lose his job for getting caught whistling a make-up call like that last season?

Then, just to rub salt in the wound, 11:54, the Flyers get called for a bogus delay of game on the faceoff 11:54 into the third after Brandon Carlo was called for tripping.

Claude Giroux is pissed off, and rightfully so. pic.twitter.com/qIczFvq9tV

— Ryan Gilbert (@RGilbertSOP) November 21, 2021

TURNING POINT: Craig Smith – In his first game back since November 11, Smith delivered and provided that scoring depth and balance that the Boston Bruins have been searching for this season. Smith finished with a goal, assist, four shots on net, and was plus +2 in 13:27 TOI.

Craig Smith on the board with his first of the year #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/c4djjTTohv

— Marina Maher (@marinakmaher) November 21, 2021

HONORABLE MENTION:  David Pastrnak – There has been some doubt surrounding the Bruins superstar sniper so far but newsflash! With a goal and an assist Saturday, Pastrnak now has a six-game point streak with three goals and seven assists during that span. Pasta is cooking folks!

David Pastrnak makes it a 5-2 game.

Nice feed from Zboril. pic.twitter.com/BYqOFDgXt8

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) November 21, 2021

BY THE NUMBERS: 5-2 – Three straight games, the Boston Bruins have won 5-2.